I was thrilled to discover that I could use millet flour in place of white flour in this, for a gluten-free recipe (just sub that for the flour in the recipe below). The roux for gumbo is unique, in keeping with other blackened Creole dishes. The flour/oil mixture is cooked until very dark. Not that it actually burns; it needs constant stirring to avoid a scorched flavor. But it does gradually turn a deep brown-to-black color before other ingredients are added.
This contains a rather unique ingredient: “file powder”, which is dried, ground sassafras leaves. The file powder adds an earthy flavor, and thickens the soup a bit too.
Vary this recipe by using different meats, sausages, seafood, even different vegetables. Serve with rice and bread to complete the meal. Serves 8.
INGREDIENTS
- 2 c. onion
- 1 c. celery
- 1 c. green pepper
- 2 tsp. salt
- 2 bay leaves, crumbled
- 1/2 tsp. cayenne
- 1 tsp. pepper
- 1/2 tsp. dried thyme
- 1/4 tsp. oregano
- 1 TBS. paprika
- 1 TBS. minced fresh garlic
- 2 1/2 TBS. file powder
- 5 c. shrimp stock (or chicken stock)
- 1/2 lb. crab meat
- 1 dozen oysters
- 1 lb. raw shrimp
- 1 lb. raw fish, chopped in 1” pieces
- 3/4 c. olive oil
- 3/4 c. flour (sub millet flour, for gluten-free)
- Cooked rice (added last, to soup bowls)
PREPARATION
1. Chop and set aside: > 2 c. onion > 1 c. celery > 1 c. green pepper
2. Mix “Seasoning” and set aside: > 2 tsp. salt > 2 bay leaves, crumbled > 1/2 tsp. cayenne > 1 tsp. pepper > 1/2 tsp. dried thyme > 1/4 tsp. oregano > 1 TBS. paprika > 1 TBS. minced fresh garlic > 2 1/2 TBS. file powder
3. Bring to a boil in 6-8-quart stock pot: > 5 c. shrimp stock (or chicken stock) (See recipe for Shrimp Stock)
4. Set aside: > 1/2 lb. crab meat > 1 dozen oysters > 1 lb. raw shrimp > 1 lb. raw fish, chopped in 1” pieces
5. For roux, get an iron pan (or other) quite hot. Add to heat some: > 3/4 c. olive oil
6. With a metal spatula, mix into hot oil: > 3/4 c. flour (or sub millet or other flour)
7. Stir constantly, 2 to 4 minutes, until dark red-brown to black. Don’t scorch, but lower heat as necessary, until flour turns nicely brown while stirring. With experience, one might dare to go past brown into the reddish-brown-to-black territory. (The darker the roux without scorching it, the more intense the flavor.)
8. Once the right color is achieved, immediately add: > Half of the chopped veggies
9. Add the following, cooking 1 or 2 minutes after each addition: > Remaining veggies > “Seasoning”
10. Last, stir stock slowly into roux until smooth, bringing to a boil. Ten minutes or so before serving, add: > The seafood
11. Heat just until fish loses its transparency, 5 to 10 minutes. Stir as needed. (Don’t overheat after adding seafood, as that will toughen it.) Add rice to bowls (or bread bowls); ladle the seafood gumbo in to serve.
